Silent Dart MTG Card

Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
2018-10-05 - Number 241

Core Set 2021 (M21)
2020-07-03 - Number 237

Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
2024-01-12 - Number 268

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact

Key Takeaways

Silent Dart can indirectly maintain card advantage by controlling the board, despite not drawing cards itself.
Its one-time high impact and instant speed can sway the game’s momentum in your favor at critical junctures.
However, its single-use nature and specific mana cost can be disadvantageous in prolonged or varied-color matches.

Text of card

, , Sacrifice Silent Dart: It deals 3 damage to target creature.

"These terms are acceptable to House Dimir. Shall we shake on it?"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Silent Dart may not directly allow you to draw cards, but by controlling the board and eliminating key threats, it can indirectly contribute to maintaining card advantage. Keeping your opponent’s creatures in check ensures your own creatures and strategies can proceed uninterrupted.

Resource Acceleration: While not a resource accelerator in the traditional sense, Silent Dart is a cost-effective removal tool. For a single mana investment to cast, and four to activate, it can pave the way for your more impactful spells by dealing with potential blockers or threats early on.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Silent Dart at instant speed provides a tactical edge. You can decide the most opportune moment to eliminate a creature, potentially baiting your opponent into committing more resources before you sweep away their key player. This keeps your opponents on their toes and can lead to advantageous plays during their turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Silent Dart necessitates sacrificing itself to activate its ability. This can limit its utility over the course of a longer game, where you might need continuous board presence or repeated effects.

Specific Mana Cost: While the initial cost to play Silent Dart is one generic mana, its activation requires three specific mana (one red, two generic), which can be a hurdle in multicolored or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The combined total of four mana to both play and use Silent Dart’s ability might be seen as inefficient when compared to other removal options in MTG that are either more cost-effective or offer additional flexibility or secondary benefits.

Reasons to Include Silent Dart in Your Collection

Versatility: Silent Dart offers a level of adaptability due to its ability to fit into various deck themes. Whether you are building a deck focused around artifacts or simply want a reliable removal asset, this card can quietly find its place in your strategy, especially in limited formats.

Combo Potential: While it may not be the flashiest card, Silent Dart has potential in combos, particularly with cards that benefit from sacrificing artifacts or those that can untap it for multiple activations. It’s a useful piece on the chessboard that interacts synergistically with other components.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta shifts toward creature-centric decks, Silent Dart stands out as a budget-friendly option to control the board. It’s a sleeper choice that can surprise opponents not expecting artifact-based removal, making it a tactical inclusion for thinkers and strategists in the game.

How to beat Silent Dart

Silent Dart is a nifty artifact in Magic: The Gathering, catching opponents off-guard by targeting and destroying creatures. But dealing with Silent Dart is simpler than one might think. This card requires not only setup time but also a decent amount of mana investment for activation. Unlike cards which have immediate board impact, Silent Dart lies dormant until its conditions are met, presenting an opportunity for counterplay.

Responsive enchantment removal, such as Disenchant, is effective here, letting you dismantle the Dart before it can become a threat. Alternatively, employing instant speed interaction, like Naturalize, gives you the flexibility to wait for your opponent to invest mana into this artifact and respond right before they intend to use it. The key is to minimize the value your opponent gets from their resources. Should Silent Dart become a frequent obstacle, consider adapting your deck with more versatile answers or tools that can preemptively manage artifacts before they can influence the battlefield.

Ultimately, while Silent Dart can be a silent killer for key creatures, its need for specific conditions and the wealth of artifact disruption available makes it a manageable menace with the right strategy and timing.

Cards like Silent Dart

Silent Dart, a versatile artifact in Magic: The Gathering, finds itself in a niche of cards that deal direct damage to creatures. Much like Icy Manipulator, it can impact the battlefield without committing to a color. However, unlike the Manipulator which focuses on controlling creatures and lands by tapping them, Silent Dart instead removes threats by dealing damage once sufficient mana and its activation cost are paid.

The comparison with Fireball illuminates Silent Dart’s utility further – Fireball can be a game-ender dealing massive damage to multiple targets, but Silent Dart is more of a sniper’s tool, picking off creatures with precision while being more economical with mana over time. In a strategy requiring consistent creature control without investing in numerous burn spells, Silent Dart shines. Cards like Elven Bow also offer creature interaction, granting abilities and potentially a token creature. However, Silent Dart’s colorless nature means it can fit into any deck seamlessly, unlike Elven Bow that commits you to green.

Ultimately, within MTG’s wide array of artifacts designed for creature interaction, Silent Dart presents a cost-effective and repeatable utility, especially valuable for decks not dedicated to direct damage spells or those capitalizing on artifact synergy.

Cards similar to Silent Dart by color, type and mana cost

Candelabra of Tawnos - MTG Card versions

Phyrexian Dreadnought - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Silent Dart MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Core Set 2021, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Silent Dart and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Silent Dart Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Yeong-Hao Han.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2018-10-05	Guilds of Ravnica	GRN	241	2015	Normal	Black	Yeong-Hao Han
2	2020-07-03	Core Set 2021	M21	237	2015	Normal	Black	Yeong-Hao Han
3	2024-01-12	Ravnica Remastered	RVR	268	2015	Normal	Black	Yeong-Hao Han

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Silent Dart has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal